Quick answer
A focus session app for iPhone closes your chosen apps for a set time and ends when the timer does. In Respite you pick 15, 25, 45, 60 or 90 minutes and which apps to block; free sessions run up to 25 minutes, while Respite Plus unlocks longer ones, a Live Activity on your Lock Screen and a Control Center control to start or end a session.
- A Respite focus session blocks your tracked apps, or just the ones you pick, until the timer ends.
- Lengths are 15, 25, 45, 60 and 90 minutes; free covers up to 25.
- Plus adds longer sessions, a Lock Screen Live Activity and a Control Center control.
- You can end a session early; for firm hours, use a schedule instead.
Sometimes you do not need a rule for the whole week; you need the next hour. You have a report to finish or a chapter to read, and the phone is in reach. A focus session is a block you start on purpose: pick a length, pick the apps, and they stay closed until it is over. Here is how it works in Respite on iPhone, what is free, and what Plus adds.
How does a focus session work in Respite?
- Add your apps. A session blocks apps you already track. Add the ones that pull you away on Home.
- Tap Focus on the Home tab. The sheet opens with the title “Focus”.
- Choose how long. The choices are 15, 25, 45, 60 and 90 minutes.
- Choose what to block. The default is everything you track, or pick only the ones you want closed.
- Tap Start. Your apps stay closed until the time is up. You can end it early.
On iPhone this uses Apple’s Screen Time, so the apps you pick stay private on your device, and the block holds even if you leave Respite.
What is free, and what is Respite Plus?
| Free | Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus sessions | 15 and 25 minutes | Also 45, 60 and 90 minutes |
| Lock Screen Live Activity | No | Yes |
| Control Center control | Opens plans | Starts or ends a session |
| Choose which apps to block | Yes | Yes |
The cap is 25 minutes on the free plan. If you tap a longer length, Respite shows the plans. Everything else about a session is the same. See Respite Plus: everything that is included for the rest of Plus.
What is the Live Activity?
A Live Activity is a small panel that iOS keeps on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island while something is happening. For a Respite focus session it shows the time left and an End button. It is useful for two reasons: you can see how long is left without opening anything, and you do not have to unlock your phone, and walk past its apps, to end a session you set by mistake.
Two honest notes. Starting a Live Activity needs Respite in the foreground, so a session started some other way may run without one. And if Live Activities are switched off in Settings, the session still runs. It only means no panel.
What does the Control Center control do?
With Plus, you can add the Respite control to Control Center. One tap starts a 25-minute session, and tapping it again while a session runs ends it. It is the fastest way to start: swipe down, tap, and your apps are closed. Without Plus the control opens the plans screen instead.
Focus session or schedule?
They are different tools:
- Focus session: a one-off block you start now for 15 to 90 minutes. Good for deep work, study and “I need to finish this”.
- Schedule: repeats on chosen days and hours, and a pass or snooze does not lift it. Good for bedtime and work hours. See how to schedule app blocking.
Many people use both: a Bedtime schedule that runs every night and focus sessions when the work demands it.
What if I just break the session?
You can end a session early, because Respite is designed to give you the choice and not to lock you in. That matters: a block you cannot escape tends to make people either resent the app or uninstall it. If you find yourself ending sessions the moment they start, the length is probably too long, so start at 15 or 25 minutes. For a firmer measure, a schedule is locked while it runs. The trade-offs are in do app blockers actually work?.
How does this compare with other apps?
Opal and Freedom both have deeper session tools and are paid; Forest turns a session into a growing tree. Respite’s sessions are lighter on purpose and sit alongside the pause and limits. See Respite vs Opal, Respite vs Forest, and the best app blockers of 2026.
Tips for better focus sessions
- Put the phone out of reach as well. A session blocks apps, not temptation.
- Start before you feel ready. The Control Center control makes starting a one-second decision.
- Block everything for deep work; block a few for lighter tasks.
- Pair it with a break. 25 minutes of focus and five off is a classic rhythm, and 25 is exactly the free length.
- Look at your streak, not your phone. Staying within limits on a day you also did a session is a good way to earn acorns; see how acorns work.
Next step
Download Respite, add two or three apps, and run a 25-minute session today. It is free.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best focus session app for iPhone?
It depends on what you need. If you want a free app that closes your distracting apps for a set time, with an optional Live Activity and Control Center control, Respite does that. Opal and Freedom offer deeper, paid session tools. Our comparison pages go through the trade-offs honestly, including where those apps are stronger.
How do I block apps on iPhone for an hour?
In Respite, add the apps you want to control, tap Focus on the Home tab, choose 60 minutes and pick what to block, then Start. Sessions up to 25 minutes are free; 45, 60 and 90 minutes need Respite Plus. Your apps stay closed until the time is up, and you can end the session early.
Does Respite have a Live Activity for focus sessions?
Yes, with Respite Plus. When a session starts, a Live Activity shows the time left on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, with an End button. It needs Respite open in the foreground when you start the session, and if it cannot start, the session still runs.
Can I start a focus session from Control Center?
Yes, with Respite Plus. Add the Respite control to Control Center and one tap starts a 25-minute session, or ends the one that is running. Without Plus, the control opens the plans screen instead. It is the quickest way to begin a session without opening the app.
Are focus sessions the same as schedules?
No. A focus session is a one-off block you start now for a set time. A schedule repeats on chosen days and hours, like bedtime or work hours, and cannot be lifted by a pass or snooze. Use sessions for deep work and schedules for routines. Free has 25-minute sessions and one schedule.
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